4. Sensory simplicity : Every object in the world has sensory properties - weight, color, texture, sound when banged or tapped or rubbed or squeezed. I find that baby products labelled "sensory" are often just busy for the sake of being busy. A baby is just as likely to be be as interested in sensory exploration of a simple wooden maraca toy as a light up, vibrating, singing octopus pirate with a different whirlygig doo-dah hanging from each tentacle.
Infants are constantly developing their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. At the same time, they're rapidly taking in the colors, sounds, textures, and even tastes around them. Some of the best toys and baby products for infants allow them to safely explore those curiosities without proving too challenging or frustrating for their developmental stage. And if a toy can grow with them and last through a few stages, all the better.

Lastly, communicative skills milestones become achievable for this toddler phase. The toddler should be able to be understood more clearly and learns how to use proper pronouns to express concepts such as ownership and identity. Once they are three, the milestone of being able to speak hundreds of words plus understand instructions and directions that involve multiple steps should be the achieved. This gives an easy to path to the development of friendships. The milestone of understanding and developing friendships, expressing and using their emotions in social settings and how to interact properly with different kinds of toddlers and people in general will be achieved.

The ultimate hangout spot for your LEGO Friends is the new Friendship House. This 772-piece set is a 4-level, double-sided playset with a ton of wonderful play features. It comes with three mini dolls – Olivia, Emma, and Andrea as well as 3 animal friends to play out your incredible adventures. The Friendship House is actually a converted Fire Station, so it still features a brick fascade and alarm outside. The translucent garage door really opens and closes. There’s even an outdoor garden area, Upper Foreman’s Terrace above the garage, barbeque area with slide, and a rooftop area with hottub. The working pully is great for bringing up supplies and there’s even a fireman’s pole for the mini dolls to slide down. The set is easy to build and kids will have all sorts of fun building and playing out various stories for the characters and their animal friends. There are a ton of great features, details, and accessories to inspire countless hours of imaginative play.

Love Barbie and coloring books? Your two favorite play patterns merge with Barbie + Crayola Color-In Fashions, taking creativity to a whole new level! Using 5 Crayola Supertip markers, you bring your creativity and designs to life. What’s cool? Since these markers are washable, you can design and re-design over and over again for endless fun. This set includes one Barbie doll, 5 washable fashions, 2 accessories, one dress form, and 5 washable Crayola Supertip markers.
Lego is bringing back Harry Potter in a big way and everybody is excited. There are going to be additional Harry Potter sets later this year, but the LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Great Hall was the real showstopper of the show that had practically everyone drooling to get their hands on it. It comes with 11 minifigures so you get a ton of cool characters. The coolest part? It has a moving staircase.
This talking picnic set by LeapFrog is designed to help kids learn about shapes, colors and manners with fun learning songs and sound effects. Toddlers can also build their motor skills with sorting, matching and stacking activities. The set includes six food items, two plates, two forks, two cups, one blanket and one basket that all help to stimulate your little learner's imagination. (Recommended ages: 6 months to 3 years)

SpinMaster has created the most realistic doll ever with Luvabella. She loves being tickled – tickle her feet or tummy. She’s a really happy baby and loves playing games like Peek-a-boo. She is extremely life-like with blinking eyes and an animated mouth, head, and arms. Her life-like expressions make her come to life. What makes her so special is that she features hundreds of responses. You can even hear her little heartbeat if you put your head to her chest. The cool part? The more you play with her, the more she learns. Bring home this loveable bundle of joy!

Walk into my house on any given day, and you will find yourself at what I'm beginning to consider the world's longest-running block party. My 1-, 2-, and 5-year-olds will all be busy to the point of distraction, happily playing away with blocks. They're usually not building together, mind you (sometimes they're not even in the same room), but each one will be doing his own thing, concentrating intently, and having a blast.
One of the author and illustrator Eric Carle's favorite characters, the Very Hungry Caterpillar, takes on the role of a lifetime: The World of Eric Carle Very Hungry Caterpillar Wood Pull Toy. Babies and toddlers will love wandering around their room or playroom with one of their favorite children’s books characters following close behind. Baby girl and baby boy Christmas gifts, such as this classic wood pull toy, are enjoyed now, handed down later and treasured for years to come. ($16; amazon.com)
Infant activity toys are amazing because they give parents a break from the action while still allowing baby to explore and entertain themselves. If you’re in search of baby Christmas gifts that do just this yet don’t require a lot of space and can even be taken on the go, we’ve got your pick! The Lamaze Soft Sorter Toy is like a squishy version of Tetris. With a silky sorter and rattling shapes, it helps baby boost brain power as they solve the great what-fits-where mystery. Different textures and colors encourage little eyes to explore and tiny hands to touch as babies develop their visual, tactile, fine and gross motor skills. ($24; amazon.com)
When you come to Fat Brain Toys, you can peruse our collection of the 2018 best baby toys to find the ideal one for your baby. Whether you are shopping for your little one or for a gift for a relative of friend's baby, our selection of top baby toys has a mix of the classics and the hottest toys for baby. Shopping for a shower gift, baby's first birthday, upcoming holidays or just because is fun and easy at Fat Brain Toys. We even offer a flat shipping rate of $3.99 and ship the same day if you order before 3 p.m. CT.
The DeltaBurst is a 3-round burst car beam blaster. The accuracy and range are in line with the AlphaPoint. The blaster features built-in haptic feedback as well as AR to increase your sense of immersion. What’s cool? It feels like something right out of Halo. Although you can use this blaster without the app, it does enhance your experience. The app offers a leaderboard along with other stats like accuracy. Upgrades can be performed via in-game tokens. Overall, Nerf has done a great job of delivering a captivating laser tag experience.

Before you invest in a large drone, the Tello quadcopter is the perfect first drone. Designed to be easy to fly and withstand crashes, this affordable drone gives you hands-on experience flying a drone. It flies for about 13 minutes on a full charge. The built-in 720p camera is a cool feature that allows you to shoot decent quality video while you fly.

Save your walls from crayon scribbles and give your children an approved outlet for artistic expression with an easel. While drawing at a table is easy and efficient, an art easel offers the added benefit of a large canvas that clips into place. Kids don’t have to worry about their picture sliding around, and you don’t have to worry about them “accidentally” drawing where they shouldn’t. Select an easel with a handy shelf that keeps all their art supplies within reach.
It’s time to head back to the 90s! Polly Pocket is making a big return in 2018 with the Polly Pocket World Assortment. These compact Pocket Worlds are perfect for taking the fun on the go. Each has its own theme and comes along with micro dolls, accessories, and other neat surprises. Look for Polly Pocket to make its debut in fall, retailing for $4.99 – $19.99.

Pokémon Ultra Sun & Moon will be the latest Pokémon adventure hitting the 3DS in time for the holidays. Ultra Sun and Moon will be the follow-up to Pokémon Sun & Moon. Fans can expect new stories, characters, and Pokémon to catch, battle, and trade. This is sure to be a must-have for Pokémon fans. The game features mild animated violence. Gotta catch ’em all!

Especially suitable for kids who are experiencing or otherwise coming into contact with the healthcare system, doctor’s kits are also just plain fun. They encourage a range of imaginative play that can help a child enact the role of caregiver. The Battat B. Deluxe Doctor’s Kit for Toddlers, which we dig, includes a sturdy carrier kit and is almost scarily thorough. With nine pieces such as a stethoscope with heartbeat sound, an otoscope, a blood pressure cuff with gauge, a safe syringe, (kid) scissors, a thermometer, and a beeper. A beeper!
Every family that has kids should experience the magic and wonder of Elf on the Shelf. This is a Christmas tradition shared by millions of families. You’ll learn in the story that the boy or girl scout monitors children during the Christmas holidays and reports back to Santa. That explains how he knows whether children have been naughty or nice. Parents and older siblings will have fun moving the figure around for the little one. Make this joyous and fun tradition a part of your family.
For gross motor skills milestones, the toddler should achieve ability in walking, climbing and stomping around. By age two, they should be able to walk at ease, perform basic running and catch, throw, and kick objects such as balls. Another milestone of this skill for toddlers is the ability to sit upright in the very early stages of this phase as well. Lastly, walking up steps should happen without assistance and toddlers should be able to bend, squat without falling over.
Ever dreamt of playing Rocket League in real life? Now you can. Featuring an immaculately detailed Rocket League Arena, this Hot Wheels set allows players to wrestle with each other to knock the soccer ball through their opponent’s goal. The set features app-controlled vehicles and comes with a car charging station. Each car lasts about 15 minutes on a charge. What’s amazing? Mattel has somehow managed to capture the wacky, addictive fun of the video game.
Ready to take your battles to the next level? With the Switchstrike Battle Tower launching this fall, players can choose two or even four-player epic battles with multi-tiered battling action. One side is designed for two players, while the flip side supports up to 4 players! This set is compatible with the companion Beyblade Burst app. This set comes with one Beyblade Burst Switchstrike Battletower, 2 Beyblade Burst Switchstrike right-spin launchers, and 2 Beyblade Burst Switchstrike right-spin tops.
Baby clothes are a gift that, when practical and adorable, are always a parent pleaser. The babyGEAR Santa Fleece Footie outfit is one of those Christmas gifts for newborns and even older infants that will bring on the oohs and ahhs. Baby can comfortably sport their holiday wear so much so that you can almost guarantee yourself a “sleeping Santa” picture under the Christmas tree. Just make sure you remember to put on the matching cap! ($12; buybuybaby.com)
It's never too early to get a jump-start on memorizing the 50 states and capitals. This oversized jigsaw floor puzzle makes it so fun, your kids won't even realize they're learning while putting it together. The 51 sturdy and extra-thick pieces are just right for little hands to hold, and, once assembled, it's a great size to display in their room.

If your child is itching to pick up a new instrument, but you're not sure if you have the time or cash to shell out for lessons, bring home this quality 61-key keyboard. It functions just like a regular piano keyboard, but it also features the ability to teach your child new music by connecting to an app. The keys will light up and show your kid how to play songs.
The design makes it very attractive to the child because it is in the shape of objects that he or she already associates with things that bring pleasure or relief--baby bottles and fruits! This naturalistic effect cements positive correlation and a causal relationship with the product. It is made with 100 percent medical-grade silicone and comes in varying textures, so the child can find just the right pressure for relief.
Babies Christmas gifts are fun to buy and even more fun to give, which is oh-so-true of the Lamaze Mortimer the Moose toy. It is equipped with various textures, colors and sounds, making it the perfect addition to their collection of sensory-centered toys. Deck the stroller with this multitasking moose or connect it to baby’s carrier or car seat and see little faces delight. Make sure Mortimer the Moose is with you on the go to help entertain and keep baby company. ($16; amazon.com)

They’re totally obsessed with PJ Masks on Disney Jr so you know they’re going to love one of the best-selling in the PJ Masks family right now! This really fun play set comes with 1 Catboy play figure (and Cat-Car mobile), 3 levels of play, a zip line, a surprise ceiling trap, working elevators, a pop-out exit hatch, and so much more. They’ll be ready to fight crime and look cute doing it all at the same time!

Let your child’s creativity go into overdrive. With the LEGO Classic Medium Creative Brick Box, kids can virtually build anything they can imagine with nearly 500 pieces. There are 35 different colors of LEGO bricks with 18 tires and 18 wheel rims. An idea book is included for inspiration. You can build trains, cars, and so much more. It’s all up to your imagination and creativity! LEGOs provide unlimited play value and kids come back to them time and again.
The WubbaNub pacifier is made from a medical-grade, latex pacifier with one-piece construction to reduce the likelihood of germs hiding out in cracks and crevices. Attached to the one side of the pacifier is a cute stuffed animal that babies enjoy holding or touching. Many parents also find that the addition of the plush toy enables their little ones to keep the pacifier in place easier.
Another example of what Dr. Cornett calls “real life” toys, this food encourages kids to go shopping and to cook. We’re big fans of the Learning Resources Farmer’s Market Color Sorting Set which, unlike many of the other options, is not just french fries (high in sodium and easily lost) and cheeseburgers. In addition, it can do double duty as a color sorting tool.
Infant activity toys are amazing because they give parents a break from the action while still allowing baby to explore and entertain themselves. If you’re in search of baby Christmas gifts that do just this yet don’t require a lot of space and can even be taken on the go, we’ve got your pick! The Lamaze Soft Sorter Toy is like a squishy version of Tetris. With a silky sorter and rattling shapes, it helps baby boost brain power as they solve the great what-fits-where mystery. Different textures and colors encourage little eyes to explore and tiny hands to touch as babies develop their visual, tactile, fine and gross motor skills. ($24; amazon.com)